Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-15
PRECIOUS STONES.
MANY OF THEM THAT ARE LITTLE
KNOWN BUT VERY VALUABLE.
How Diamonds Are Classified - The
Agate. the Amethyst and the Emerald.
Garnet and Bloodstone-A Long lis,
of Valuable Gems.

t How Diamonds Are Classified - Tn
Agate. the Amethyst and the Emerald
Garnet and Bioodstone-A Long Lis
4 of Valuable Gems.
; "Our people have TO be educated in tn,
matter of appreciating certain yaluabl,
, stones. The people Of London and New
!. York are thoroughly posted on the sub
Ject of stones, and therefore they know
the value of them. Out here the diamond
; Is looked upon as the most valuable--ir
fact, the only really precious stone that
there Is As consequence We labor un.
der a disadvantage, as compared with
dealers in the east. OF course | know
that there are some here who are informed
on the subject of precious stones, but !
mean that as a class our people have
much Ia learn. For instance, if | were Ia
ask almost anybody that came in here if
he would like TO buy an Alexandrite he
would not know what | meant
Tell me something about gems What
is an AleNandrites"
1t is dark green in color by daylight
and dark red at night. II is named after
the car of Russia, and owes its celebrity
To its prominent hues Of red and green
the chosen emblematic colors of that
empires flag"
is it true that you can't break a dia-
mond2''
"A diamond will crack or break as any
other stone, but the cracking will reduce
Sl,Up To nothing, spite OF the vulgar
tradition that you cant break a dia-
mond. Only about one in ten is royal,
the others being black or colored useful
in the arts" O."
VALUATION OF DIAMONDS.
How do you get at the value of dia-
munds -
The valuation of gems is arbitrary,
depending on many considerations. Among
them is water II perfectly hmpid,
like a drop of the purest water, it
Is classed first water Color comes
next. Colorless ranks highest, whit
ish next, while the merest suspicion
of green or blue rather heightens
the rank of white stones. Rose comes
next, and then yellow or amber. but they
must all be perfect in water and fiawless
10 rank among the first class
What about agates ?"
They are translucent to TRANSPARENT
all colors. AGates are built up layer on
layer, sometimes hundreds to the inch
Those stained by manganese or iron in
sometimes closely resembling persons and
things, command very high prices"
Can you give me a chapter on the
amethyst -
1T is transparent. purple or violet in
color. A cluster as mined generally con
tains other crystals of blue, green yellow,
red gray and white. The red crystals are
properly rose quartz, the clouded ones
smoky quartz; the green are prase, the
yellow false topaz and the perfectly clear
are rock crystals. The finest rock crys-
tails are found in great numbers near Hot /
Springs, Ark. in Diamond mountain ~
What is hard stone aside from the
diamond"
The aquamarine-a transparent beryl .
of greenish blue. Ii is a lovely stone-sis-
ter Of the emerald, and very hard Ii will
cut all the amethysts, but not the topaz.
and is not affected by acids. The chryso-
beryl cats eye is very hard, but ranks
below sapphires, rubies, etc. Ii is trans
parent 10 translucent green in many
shades. The chrysoprase is apple green,
and some stones are very beautiful and
highly valued
"How does the emerald ranks''
The translucent or subtransparent and
green variety Of the beryl, just as the
aquamarine is the transparent and blue
variety, but it is very much more highly
prlzed. Emeralds rank next to the dia-
nond, ruby and finer sapphire Oriental
emerald Is the green sapphire-very rare,
very beautiful and very valuable"
Are there stones that can be passed for
lnother}'
The garnet, which Is transparent and
ed. depends upon its value altogether on
Is looks, for it can often pass as a ruby"
What is a bloodstone,''
"A variety of chalcedony of deep green
olor, variegated with blood-red or yell
owish spots. 1t is properly called hello
rope"
Name some other stones I've run
,ut" Il
LONG LIST OF GEMS.
There is the hyacinth cinnamon stone,
yellow. red and brown.
There are garnet hyacinths and zircon hv- {
cinths. Although its intrinsic qualities
ught 10 rank the Eircon hyacinth first,
he market rates it second. Then there is
ne lagalitc blue spar, translucent and
eep blue. Only the fine varieties are
alued for jewellers purposes. Next the
lalach!te, translucent green, used for :
locks, vases and parlor ornaments, slabs, !
&c. Mexican onyx, translucent greenish
'hlte, with veins of all colors, makes !
Dvely paper weights, inkstands. pipe /
owls, etc. The onyx is constructed in :
inns or layers of different colors like the {
gate, except that in the onyx the films
re laid hat, while in the agate they are
Ike the peelings of an onion. The onyx
chiefly valued for cutting canoes. The Z
hoice cOlors in true onyx are white, black !
nd brown. SardOnyX has also film of !
red. The opal is transparent }
mite, pale yellow, gray, green and red.
owes Its value to its peculiar power of !
wonderful play Of colors as it !!
turned TO various angles The most re- !
is the fire opal Precious opal
the very finest and most delicately
laded and tinted of fire opals OF the
lby there is the spinel, transparent light,
ledium or dark red. The oriental sap {
hire ruby is of the same description, and +
cry difficult to distinguish from the spi- v
ell. Il is a degree harder. AS general i,
lie the orieatals are the most valuable. I
nd splnels Of equal beauty are handi- {
tpped by reputation. Oriental ruhies Of II
le very finest qualities are more valuable 5
ian diamonds of the same weight.
Let me see-there is the sapphire, f
NlANs ttltSlldI. ttt-, anu | v
.ue. Sapphires Of the most celestial hue
nd all other good qualities are worth 5
iuch less than oriental rubies of the same f
ze. Yellow sapphires are called oriental {
,paz, green ones oriental emerald and Ii
iOlet ones oriental amethysts. The
reCiouS topaz is transparent and yellow. n
here are other varietles-greenish. blu I
h, reddish and some are perfectly color ;
IS. When these are entirely transpar- r
IT and otherwise perfect they have high II
llue also, for they often pass as rubies, o
lpphires and diamonds. Another highly v
alued stone is the tourmaline. 1t is
yellow. red, green, blue. The -
ear, rich stones are greatly priced. The !.
ID is called rubellite, and is often sported =
: a ruby, as is the yellow for topaz. !,
ONE amber and honey colored yellow !,
are among the most beauti- \
Il gems in existence. ;,